The 26-year-old mother stared down at her son who was dying of terminal
leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong
feeling of determination. Like any parent she wanted her son to grow up and
fill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia would see
to that. But she still wanted her son's dreams to come true.
She took her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you
wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do
with your life?"
"Mommy, I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up." Mom smiled back and
said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come true."
Later that day she went to her local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona,
where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained
her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her six year
old son a ride around the block on a fire engine.
Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son
ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary fireman
for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out
on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! "And if you'll give us his
sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat- not a
toy one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow
slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right here
in Phoenix, so we can get them fast."
Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his fire suit
and took him and put him on the waiting hook and ladder truck.
Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire
station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day
and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire
engines, the paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car.
He was also videotaped for the local news program. Having his dream come
true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply
touched Billy that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought
possible.
One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head
nurse, who believed in the hospice concept that no one should die alone,
began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she remembered the
day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if
it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with
Billy as he made his transition.
The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We'll be there in five
minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming
and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there
is not a fire? It's just the fire department coming to see one of its finest
members one more time. And will you open the window to his room? About five
minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital, extended its
ladder up to Billy's third floor open window and 16 firefighters climbed up
the ladder into Billy's room.
With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how
much they loved him. With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire
chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?"
"Billy, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand" the chief
said.
With those words, Billy smiled and said, "I know, He's been holding my hand
all day, and the angels have been singing."
He closed his eyes one last time.
leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong
feeling of determination. Like any parent she wanted her son to grow up and
fill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia would see
to that. But she still wanted her son's dreams to come true.
She took her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you
wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do
with your life?"
"Mommy, I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up." Mom smiled back and
said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come true."
Later that day she went to her local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona,
where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained
her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her six year
old son a ride around the block on a fire engine.
Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son
ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary fireman
for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out
on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! "And if you'll give us his
sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat- not a
toy one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow
slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right here
in Phoenix, so we can get them fast."
Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his fire suit
and took him and put him on the waiting hook and ladder truck.
Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire
station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day
and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire
engines, the paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car.
He was also videotaped for the local news program. Having his dream come
true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply
touched Billy that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought
possible.
One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head
nurse, who believed in the hospice concept that no one should die alone,
began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she remembered the
day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if
it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with
Billy as he made his transition.
The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We'll be there in five
minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming
and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there
is not a fire? It's just the fire department coming to see one of its finest
members one more time. And will you open the window to his room? About five
minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital, extended its
ladder up to Billy's third floor open window and 16 firefighters climbed up
the ladder into Billy's room.
With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how
much they loved him. With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire
chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?"
"Billy, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand" the chief
said.
With those words, Billy smiled and said, "I know, He's been holding my hand
all day, and the angels have been singing."
He closed his eyes one last time.
That story is touching. My mom worked for Hospice, so I can relate. **sniffle**